20110410adf8237482_402.jpg

Mid Caption:

Around 400 members from the ADF are deployed on OP ASTUTE of which 169 Reserves and 8 Regular Army men and women will come from 8th Brigade, contributing 45% of the personnel including Infantry, Combat Engineers, Logistic and trade specialists as well as staff on the Joint Headquarters.

This is an opportunity for Reserve soldiers to further develop their skills and experience for regional operations and work in a wider, tri-service environment, demonstrating the confidence the Army has in its reserve force.

The end result will be a significant number of individuals and teams who have increased their professional military skills to be reinvested within their own units and across the Army Reserve through knowledge sharing initiatives.

The training they are conducting in Canungra is part of nearly 3 months of preparation which has been conducted individually and collectively, over weekends, and continuous training periods since September of 2010 to ensure they are ready for their 8 months in Timor.

Not everyone in the Reserve can make such a long-term commitment but these contemporary Reservists have demonstrated they are willing and capable to relieve the concurrency pressure on the full-time force and are an integral part of the ADF.

There was no shortage of volunteers to fill the positions, in some cases, three volunteers for each position.

It should be remembered that their efforts are made possible through the support and understanding of employers, families and their parent units.